Media Mogul In The Making: Meet Peter Arriaga

Peter Arriaga
Host of the My Little Underground podcast, Peter Arriaga.

This week’s featured media mogul is the creator and host of the hit podcast, My Little Underground, Peter Arriaga. Learn more about Peter’s creative journey below.

You are a multi-talented individual dipping and dapping in a bunch of other expressive fields. So, what was it about journalism or media that piqued your interest?

“I appreciate that! I think media, especially podcasting is an incredible tool for expression. It’s freedom. I come from commercial radio and it is revenue-focused which leaves very little room for creativity. Nothing against radio but it’s the truth.

With podcasting, I have the ability to express my point of view on my passions such as music and wrestling without a program director telling me what I can and cannot say.

Also, time is on my side. I can record whenever and wherever I want.”

How did you get your start in the media field? Did you study communications in college? Internships? Hobby writing?

“I have a degree in media communications but you don’t need a degree necessarily in that field to succeed in media. You simply have to have a passion for it and have to practice your medium of choice whether its radio/TV/podcasting, etc.

I did college radio and I had smart people around me that taught me the skills to start podcasting and get work in the radio industry.

Speaking of internships, I interned at a marketing agency, which connected me to artists that I would eventually interview on my radio shows and eventually my music podcast, My Little Underground.”

Tell us how you built up your platform. What’s your mission/goals? Who’s your audience?

“I started My Little Underground while I was on the air at Party 105.3 FM in Long Island and the now, defunct, Satori Radio in Brooklyn.

I was in need of something that belonged to me and an outlet to showcase underground artists that I loved and hopefully, others would grow to love.

Also, I love talking about music and interviewing artists so why not create a platform to do so?

My audience is simply people who love music and also love discovering music.”

So far throughout your career, what has been your proudest personal media moment?

“There are so many moments that I am proud of but I feel like there is no real answer to this question because I’m still learning media and evolving so I’m confident that there are so many things that I will accomplish and be proud of in the coming years.

However, I think being on the air at the commercial station was incredible because I got there by being myself and ignored what some tried to tell me was the right way to get into the business.

Also, interviewing Sheila B, host of the WFMU show, Sophisticated Boom Boom on My Little Underground. Sheila comes from radio like myself and we share an uncanny passion for music and I got perspective on music discovery from her because she has international music business experience. Talking with Sheila furthered my theory that there are endless music discovery methods.

I also started a wrestling podcast with my brother called The Wrestling Caucus and I love talking wrestling with him. We would talk for hours about our thoughts on wrestling offline so I might as well stick a microphone in our faces and hit record!”

What advice would you give aspiring mediapreneurs looking to enter the field?

“Don’t get stuck in your ways. Learn new forms of media and stay on top of the business.

Also, practice your craft. Don’t wait for any big media company to give you a job to start podcasting or do radio.

Before you start a podcast/web series, etc, make sure you’re really passionate about whatever topic you’re talking about and you’re properly able to comment on it. You don’t want to sound stupid.

Lastly, if you want to start a podcast, listen to podcasts. Especially if it’s about a topic you care about. Get some ideas on where to start. Don’t steal anyone’s ideas, people can smell a hack from miles away. That goes for any medium!”

Connect with Peter Arriaga on Instagram! You can also follow My Little Underground on Instagram. Be sure to catch new episodes of My Little Underground everywhere podcasts are found, click HERE to stream now.

The Independent Entertainment Media Coalition is a 501(c)(7) non-profit organization dedicated to provided financial, educational, and professional resources for freelance media figures. Help in our efforts! To make a donation, please click HERE!

Media Mogul In The Making: Meet Asiah Jones

Asiah Jones
Co-host of Growing, Healing and Shxt podcast, Asiah Jones.

This week’s featured media mogul is the co-host of the podcast Growing, Healing & Shxt, Asiah Jones. Learn more about Asiah’s creative journey below.

You are a multi-talented individual dipping and dapping in a bunch of other expressive fields. So, what was it about journalism or media that piqued your interest?

“Because all I do it talk and I needed an outlet. No, honestly I’ve always been the friend to give advice or to just have deeper and meaningful conversations with people and I would learn so much in those conversations. I would be so addicted to those deeper conversations because it gave me chills and it would make me feel like I was in alignment with my purpose. Especially who I would become in those conversations. If you know me, I’m like a kid and I’m goofy and there’s an immaturity about me, but when I tap in that deeper part of myself It’s like I’m being channeled by an old wise person. The funny thing is that it throws people off about me because it doesn’t seem to match me, shoot I don’t even think it matches me, but that’s what cool about it. Sometimes I want to even write down my own words to remember what I said because the revelations and perspectives were so enlightening and magical. I’ve been saying to people for years, ‘I wish we recorded this conversation’ and now I get to. I get to finally capture and share the magic I get to experience in my own life and in my own skin.” 

How did you get your start in the media field? Did you study communications in college? Internships? Hobby writing?

“So as I said, I’m a talker and I’ve always needed an outlet. I’ve been writing since childhood and documenting my life through writing and, over the past couple of years, by recording myself. I  wrote so much that I have the intention of writing a book. Anyways people have also told me I should have my own YouTube channel and I was so fearful about it that I just never did anything about it. I ended up meeting some females this year who were interested in doing a podcast and I was so quick to want to be involved, to have a direct support system in a venture I’ve always wanted to do. So I’m glad about the opportunity.” 

Tell us about your platform. What’s your mission/goals? Who’s your audience?

“So I actually have to podcasts that I’m on, “Let’s Talk Melanin” and the brand new podcast “Growing, Healing & Shxt”. The women on the podcast have been through a lot, which was perfect because there are so many different perspectives in that. This podcast should attract those who don’t want to settle for who they are, for those who yearn more out of life than the surface. Those who want to be their best selves.  We’re hopeful and we know that someone out there can identify with at least one of us. And I guess that’s the mission, you know, when you’re going through something in life and it truly hard and painful, you feel alone and you’re just desperate for a guide or a how-to book or someone to share that pain, for hope, to see that someone who’s been where you are, eventually found freedom or happiness or just to see that life moves on. I happen to be blessed to have people in my life to where I can be vulnerable and share my pain with and to have support, but even in the support you still have to go to come home to yourself at night or you still may feel like that person doesn’t truly get it. So I want to be that person for whoever needs it. I want people to feel that I share their pain, but I’m constantly finding ways to make it out or that I’ve made it out and to share my inner processes of how. I’m hoping something that we say on this podcast can spark something, can change a thought in someone’s mind, a perspective, a pattern. That this could give them more understanding about themselves and their own lives and I hope it leads to them feeling comforted in their aloneness. Of course, we are all women, so it’s easier for us to relate to women, but it’s available for men as well. And I feel like we’re on a journey to understanding men the most, but shoot we’re still over here trying to understand our damn selves as women. On Let’s Talk Melanin, we’re using audio and visuals and for Growing, Healing & Shxt, we’re just doing audio for now because that’s what we want to focus on. The goal as of now is to be consistent and engage with our audience and eventually tour and reach out to people on a bigger scale.” 

So far throughout your career, what has been your proudest personal media moment?

“I’ve been proud just to see us actually doing it. Like to actually capture the kind of vibes and friendship we have in real life. I love to see us just being ourselves and being authentic. To see us being fearless in opening up about our lives and our experiences. It’s beautiful to see us being so brave.” 

What advice would you give aspiring mediapreneurs looking to enter the field? 

“You don’t know how hard it is to actually put yourself out there to strangers because it’s your craft and it’s your art and now it’s up to the public’s criticism. You have to be willing to be vulnerable and to do it for yourself. If you’re not doing it for yourself, then you are a slave to fear and insecurity. You have to be connected to it. You have to do it because your soul is telling you to and don’t worry about the rest. You have to have the intention to help those who want it or need it rather than care about the people who may not. Your craft is an expression of you, so make it really you, so that when you look back on it, you’ll always have a connection to it and you’ll be proud of it. It’s a documentary of your growth and you’ll see how far you’ve come from that place because as you grow, your art evolves along with it. I’m proud of all of the people out there who truly put themselves out there. You’re the bravest kind.” 

Connect with Asiah Jones on Instagram! Be sure to catch new episodes Growing, Healing & Shxt on your favorite streaming platform, click HERE to get started. Follow Growing, Healing & Shxt on Instagram.

The Independent Entertainment Media Coalition is a 501(c)(7) non-profit organization dedicated to provided financial, educational, and professional resources for freelance media figures. Help in our efforts! To make a donation, please click HERE!

Media Mogul In The Making: Meet Briyanna Brown

Briyanna B
Host of the hit podcast, The Queen Pin, Briyanna B.

This week’s featured media mogul is the host of the popular podcast The Queen Pin, Briyanna Brown. Learn more about Briyanna’s creative journey below.

You are a multi-talented individual dipping and dapping in a bunch of other expressive fields. So, what was it about journalism or media that piqued your interest?
“Journalism has always been an interest of mine. I’ve always been a ‘talker’, extremely good at debating, and I watched a lot of talk shows growing up. I’ve literally always wanted to get my voice heard so I thought why not do something in the media. My actual goal is to be a radio personality one day and I’m definitely on the right track.”
How did you get your start in the media field? Did you study communications in college? Internships? Hobby writing?
“I did take a bunch of communications courses in college to get a feel for it but there wasn’t really a “start”. I simply logged into my Amazon Prime account bought me a Yeti mic plugged it into my MacBook and started recording the very next day. I didn’t have a plan I just simply started.” 

Tell us about your platform. What’s your mission/goals? Who’s your audience?
“My platform is for the culture! I’ve always wanted to see people grow as I did. I believe there’s room for all of us at the table. Everyone has a voice, everyone has talents, but overall, everyone has a story or opinion worth hearing. My platform is for mostly millennials and anyone who can identify with moving somewhere away from their hometown that is learning to adapt to different things. I’m a transplant from Atlanta and I share my stories, lifestyle, and my best and worst moments here in Los Angeles. You get to hear me along with different guests every week. My goal is to eventually move my podcast from just being behind the mic to actual visuals so that you can actually see my content since most of us are visual learners. I am simply letting podcasting run its course and seeing where it takes me.” 

So far throughout your career, what has been your proudest personal media moment?
“My proudest moment thus far was joining the Good News Radio and Podcast Network. There are two locations here in Los Angeles and It’s a Black-owned radio station that is growing rapidly. I was selected out of many candidates to have my show be apart of their platform and I am so grateful. I started my podcast in April of 2019 and joined them August of 2019. No real experience or even content but they saw my potential and best of all my personality shined through and I’m so grateful. I’ve been there ever since.” 
What advice would you give aspiring mediapreneurs looking to enter the field? 
“The best advice I would give a mediapreneur is that if you are thinking about it more than you think about anything else in this world do it. Write down the vision, get the equipment you need, and just START. Don’t worry about the “what if’s” the minute you say “I want to do this..” DO IT and don’t look back. I am the only host of my Podcast and I do everything by myself right now. Yes, it’s hard but it can be done!”

Connect with Briyanna Brown on Twitter and Instagram! Be sure to catch new episodes of The Queen Pin Podcast on your favorite streaming platform, click HERE to get started. Follow The Queen Pin Podcast on Instagram.

The Independent Entertainment Media Coalition is a 501(c)(7) non-profit organization dedicated to provided financial, educational, and professional resources for freelance media figures. Help in our efforts! To make a donation, please click HERE!